Straighten up and gain some tolerance

November 24, 2008

Joe Sergio's Nov. 13 letter scolds Nancy Mascotte for her mantra of "intolerance" which was not directed toward the whole South Bend community, as Sergio indicates, but toward those citizens who do discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transvestite people. In fact, his organization, Citizens for Community Values, has used deceptive language to cloud the issue of our citizens' human rights in South Bend. Its members sanitize the word "discrimination" and turn it into a catchy, duplicitous phrase: "no special rights." Some citizens, I believe strongly, are not only intolerant of GLBTs, but acting unChrist-like. While on this Earth, Jesus chose to serve the poor, the outcasts and the marginalized in his Jewish society. Jesus never uttered a word of condemnation about homosexuality. We can presume that if gays were present and marginalized, they were a part of his community. In our own times, gay people have come out of the closet into which most societies put them for centuries. Recent scientific studies find that, for a true homosexual, sexual orientation was not chosen by them but given to them by nature (and God?). I know that I did not choose my own heterosexuality. I consider myself as a "straight for equality." Doing what is right can be simple. Easy. Straightforward.

Rev. Edward J. RuetzSouth Bend

Advertisement

Pathetic Whatever happened to the Fighting Irish? On Nov. 8, they showed me a lot. They can't tackle, rush the passer, defend a receiver, block, run (remember our back falling down on his own guard in the backfield?), pass, catch, punt, punt catch, kick return or remain mistake-free. They haven't improved in the four years Charlie Weis has been coach. We have only beaten third-rate teams this year. I actually went to bed in the third quarter of the Boston College game, after our third interception. Having attended the school while Joe Montana was quarterback, I have always felt that though the odds were great or small, Notre Dame would win overall. I have never turned off a game. I've been late to weddings, baptisms, birthdays, retirement parties, etc., but since 1959 I've never just gone to bed. God help us! Jimmy Clausen is mediocre at best. The team should have a huddle because the players can't achieve anything without one. At least that would delay our opponents from scoring more points on our sad defense. Why don't they just play cornerbacks on the defensive line? They would probably hold their ground as well as the players we have there now. The country wanted "change" for the sake of "change." Maybe Notre Dame needs the same.

Don "Zeke" Zehnder Jr.Class of '81Naugatuck, Conn.

Special offer Charlie Weis offer: free-of-charge lip service.

Bob HawleyGranger

Going up Wow! I just paid my water bill for this month. It was close to $40. I don't get it. I use water basically for dishes, bathing and laundry. I did not water my grass this summer or wash my car. My bill has run close to this all year but continues to go up, up, up. Where will it stop? We seniors, in particular, cannot afford these high utility bills. It must stop or many of us will be out on the street.

Mable VanettSouth Bend

WSBT WSBT-TV started to broadcast from its new high-tech buildings with its high-tech equipment. Now it should take that huge ugly station logo off the picture so that we can see the programming. WSBT should give us our TV screens back. If that ugly logo is so important, they should put it on while they are showing commercials. I am not very bright, but I know what station I have on without an ugly logo. I wonder if complaining to the Federal Communications Commission would do any good. The ugly logo looks like it grows larger every day.

Robert S. FerencySouth Bend

Lack of choice In the airport gift shop on Oct. 27 I noticed two political hardback books. Both titles were negative about the same candidate. When I asked the gift shop employees about the lack of equal representation, I was told that they just display what they're given. My political persuasion does not matter, and by now these books do not matter, but what does matter is that absence of choice sits on the shelf of oppression. It's been many years since I lived in South Bend, but I was born and raised in South Bend, and I'd like to think that the airport, for so many the way into and out of the city, would be more aware of the republic to which the city belongs.